Most present communication systems are based upon box level designs. Current receiver/exciter, demodulation, modulation and baseband communication systems consist of several box units contained within a rack structure taking up a great deal of space. Typically, each box unit performs only a single designated function.
Box level designs are undesirable because each box unit may not be reconfigured to perform additional functions. Thus, in order to upgrade the capabilities of the communications system, one or more box unit must be added to the existing hardware. Present approaches also require that additional upgrades to these systems be customized, thus, creating a new box unit to be added to the existing hardware. Existing box units perform a limited number of functions and may not be easily reconfigured to perform additional or different functions. The addition of functions to a system requires new or additional box units to upgrade the system. The new boxes require the use of additional rack space which may not be available in the rack structure.
A box unit based system also creates extensive cabling problems. Whenever a new box is added to the communications system, new cabling must be added for the box. If several new boxes are added, the problems and expense involved with running additional cable to the boxes may include moving existing box structures to make room for the cabling pathway, individually cabling each box into the system and overcoming problems associated with the differing box interfaces. The fact that each box is individually cabled into the system also prevents extensive system remodification from being easily carried out because of the time and investment required for recabling and rack modification.
Present communication systems also constrain the operation of existing box units to a limited number of functions. If a box unit should become disabled while in operation and spare units are not available, the system cannot be easily reconfigured to accommodate the failed unit. The lack of flexibility in present communication systems also causes extensive down time while reconfiguration of the communication system takes place.
Thus, a need has arisen for a communications system offering flexible operating parameters, having the ability to be easily reconfigured for varying applications, and having fewer physical reconfiguration, cabling and spacing problems than are associated with presently existing communication systems.